Nahj al-Balāgha

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) وقد وقعت مشاجرة بينه وبين عثمان، فقال المغيرة بن الاخنس لعثمان: أنا أكِفيكَه، فقال أميرالمؤمنين صلوات الله عليه للمغيرة:

There was some exchange of words between ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān and Amīr al-mu’minīn when al-Mughīrah ibn al-Akhnas [1] said to ‘Uthmān that he would deal with Amīr al-mu’minīn on his behalf whereupon Amīr al-mu’minīn said to al-Mughīrah:

يَابْنَ اللَّعِينِ الاْبْتَرِ، وَالشَّجَرَةِ الَّتي لاَ أَصْلَ لَهَا وَلاَ فَرْعَ، أَنْتَ تَكْفِينِي، فَوَاللهِ مَاأَعَزَّ اللهُ مَنْ أَنْتَ نَاصِرُهُ، وَلاَ قَامَ مَنْ أَنْتَ مُنْهِضُه، اخْرُجْ عَنَّا أَبْعَدَ اللهُ نَوَاكَ، ثُمَّ ابْلُغْ جَهْدَك، فَلاَ أَبْقَى اللهُ عَلَيْكَ إِنْ أَبْقَيْتَ!

O son of the accursed and issueless, and of a tree which has neither root nor branch. Will you deal with me? By Allāh, Allāh will not grant victory to him whom you support, nor will he be able to stand up whom you raise. Get away from us. Allāh may keep you away from your purpose. Then do whatever you like. Allāh may not have mercy on you if you have pity on me.

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) في أمر البيعة

About the sincerity of his own intention and support of the oppressed

لَمْ تَكُنْ بَيْعَتُكُمْ إِيَّايَ فَلْتَةً، وَلَيْسَ أَمْرِي وَأَمْرُكُمْ وَاحِداً، إِنِّي أُرِيدُكُمْ للهِ وَأَنْتُمْ تُرِيدُونَنِي لاِنْفُسِكُمْ. أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، أَعِينُوني عَلى أَنْفُسِكُمْ، وَايْمُ اللهِ لاَنْصِفَنَّ الْمَظْلُومَ، وَلاَقُودَنَّ الظَّالِمَ بِخِزَامَتِهَ حَتَّى أُورِدَهُ مَنْهَلَ الْحَقِّ وَإِنْ كَانَ كَارِهاً.

Your allegiance to me was not without thinking, [1] nor is my and your position the same. I seek you for Allāh’s sake but you seek me for your own benefits. O people! support me despite your heart’s desires. By Allāh, I will take revenge for the oppressed from the oppressor and will put a string in the nose of the oppressor and drag him to the spring of truthfulness even though he may grudge it.

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) في شأن طلحة و الزبير و في البيعة له

About Ṭalḥah and az-Zubayr

[طلحة و الزبير :] وَاللهِ مَا أَنْكَرُوا عَلَيَّ مُنْكَراً، وَلاَ جَعَلُوا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُمْ نِصْفاً، وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَطْلُبُونَ حَقّاً هُمْ تَرَكُوهُ، وَدَماً هُمْ سَفَكُوهُ، فَإِنْ كُنْتُ شَرِيكَهُمْ فِيهِ فَإِنَّ لَهُمْ نَصِيبَهُمْ مِنْهُ، وَإِنْ كَانُوا وَلُوهُ دُونِي فَمَا الطَّلِبَةُ إِلاَّ قِبَلَهُمْ، وَإِنَّ أَوَّلَ عَدْلِهِمْ لَلْحُكْمُ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ، وَإِنَّ مَعِي لَبَصِيرَتِي، مَا لَبَّسْتُ وَلاَ لُبِّسَ عَلَيَّ،

By Allāh, they did not find any disagreeable thing in me, nor did they do justice between me and themselves. Surely, they are now demanding a right which they have abandoned and blood which they have themselves shed. If I pertook in it with them then they too have a share in it, but if they committed it without me the demand should be against them. The first step of their justice should be that they pass verdict against themselves. I have my intelligence with me. I have never mixed matters nor have they appeared mixed to me.

وَإِنَّهَا لَلْفِئَةُ الْبَاغِيَةُ، فِيهَا الْحَمأُ وَالْحُمَةُ وَالشُّبْهَةُ الْمُغْدِفَةُ، وَإِنَّ الاْمْرَ لَوَاضِحٌ، وَقَدْ زَاحَ الْبَاطِلُ عَنْ نِصَابِهِ، وَانْقَطَعَ لِسَانُهُ عَنْ شَغَبِهِ. وَايْمُ اللهِ لاَفْرِطَنَّ لَهُمْ حَوْضاً أَنَا مَاتِحُهُ، لاَ يَصْدُرُونَ عَنْهُ بِرِيٍّ، وَلاَ يَعُبُّونَ بَعْدَهُ فِي حَسْي.

Certainly, this is the rebellious group in which there is the near one (az-Zubayr), the scorpion’s venom (‘Ā’ishah) and doubts which cast a veil (on facts). But the matter is clear, and the wrong has been shaken from its foundation. Its tongue has stopped uttering mischief. By Allāh, I will prepare for them a cistern from which I alone will draw water. They will not be able to drink from it nor would they be able to drink from any other place.

[منه في أمر البيعة :] فَأَقْبَلْتُمْ إِلَيَّ إِقْبَالَ الْعُوذِ الْمَطَافِيلِ عَلَى أَوْلاَدِهَا، تَقُولُونَ: الْبَيْعَةَ الْبَيْعَةَ! قَبَضْتُ كَفِّي فَبَسَطْتُمُوهَا، وَنَازَعَتْكُمْ يَدِي فَجَاذَبْتُمُوهَا. اللَّهُمَّ إنَّهُمَا قَطَعَاني وَظَلَمَاني، وَنَكَثَا بَيْعَتِي، وَأَلَّبَا النَّاسَ عَلَيَّ; فَاحْلُلْ مَا عَقَدَا، وَلاَ تُحْكِمْ لَهُمَا مَا أَبْرَمَا، وَأَرِهِمَا الْمَسَاءَةَ فِيَما أَمَّلاَ وَعَمِلاَ، وَلَقَدِ اسْتَثَبْتُهُمَا قَبْلَ الْقِتَالِ، وَاسْتَأْنَيْتُ بِهمَا أَمَامَ الْوِقَاعِ، فَغَمَطَا النِّعْمَةَ، وَرَدَّا الْعَافِيَةَ.

[A part of the same sermon :] You advanced towards me shouting “allegiance, allegiance” like she-camels having delivered newly born young ones leaping towards their young. I held back my hand but you pulled it towards you I drew back my hand but you dragged it. O my Allāh! these two have ignored my rights and did injustice to me. They both have broken allegiance to me, and roused people against me. Unfasten Thou what they have fastened, and do not make strong what they have woven. Show them the evil in what they aimed at and acted upon. Before fighting I asked them to be steadfast in allegiance and behaved with them with consideration but they belittled the blessing and refused (to adopt the course of) safety.

ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام) يومىء فيها إلى ذكر الملاحم

Referring to events in the future

يَعْطِفُ الْهَوَى عَلَى الْهُدَى إِذَا عَطَفُوا الْهُدَى عَلَى الْهَوَى، وَيَعْطِفُ الرَّأْيَ عَلَى الْقُرْآنِ إِذَا عَطَفُوا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَى الرَّأْيِ.

He will direct desires towards (the path of) guidance while people will have turned guidance towards desires, and he will turn their views to the direction of the Qur’ān while the people will have turned the Qur’ān to their views.